Will Smith Was Name-Dropped At The Oscars 2026 Despite Still Being Banned

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The 2026 Oscars were filled with stars, including Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio, who were highlighted by the host, Conan O’Brien, and presenters. Although Will Smith wasn’t nominated for any films this year and didn’t attend, his name was still mentioned during the ceremony.

Even if Will Smith had been nominated for an Oscar this year, he wouldn’t have been allowed to attend. This is because he famously slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, his wife.

I was absolutely stunned when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars – it felt like the whole world reacted with shock! Immediately, I noticed studios seemed to be avoiding working with him, putting projects on hold or just dropping them entirely. The Academy took it seriously too, launching a full investigation that ultimately led to him being banned from the show. Even years later, when a winner took the stage in 2026, they couldn’t help but mention the incident – it’s something everyone still remembers.

Will Smith Was Name-Dropped By Michel B. Jordan At The Oscars

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Michael B. Jordan brought up Will Smith during the Oscars. Jordan was nominated for Best Actor, and ultimately won his first Academy Award for his performance. He chose to mention Smith while giving his acceptance speech.

In his speech, Jordan emphasized that his success was built on the achievements of Black pioneers who came before him. He then highlighted the exclusive group of Black actors who have won Oscars for leading roles – Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, and Will Smith – noting that he was now joining their ranks. You can watch his full speech here:

Will Smith remains an Oscar winner despite being banned from the Academy Awards. He won Best Actor for King Richard just 40 minutes after the incident with Chris Rock. Because Smith resigned from the Academy on April 1st, 2022 – before the official ban on April 8th – he was permitted to keep his award.

The rule didn’t actually prevent people from mentioning Smith at the Oscars. While the ceremony avoided saying his name directly, Jimmy Kimmel made several jokes about the incident. In fact, because Jordan Peele mentioned past winners, not saying Smith’s name would have been more conspicuous.

How Much Longer Will Smith Is Banned From The Oscars

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Mentions of his name are about as close as Will Smith will get to the Oscars for a while. After the incident in 2022 where he slapped someone, the Academy banned him from attending for 10 years. He’s already missed the last four ceremonies, and currently has six years remaining on the ban unless the Academy changes its decision.

Although Will Smith is ineligible to attend the Academy Awards until 2033 – at the 105th ceremony – he can still be nominated for and even win an Oscar during that time. He simply won’t be permitted at the event unless the Academy makes a special exception.

The incident could harm Will Smith’s relationship with the Oscars beyond just his current ban. He probably wouldn’t attend an Oscars ceremony unless he or his work was nominated, and after the slap, Academy voters might be less likely to nominate him in the future.

This might mean Smith will concentrate on making big, popular movies instead of trying to earn another Oscar.

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2026-03-16 19:58